St Joseph Memory Lane
Belt Highway
US Highway 71


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Cool Crest

COOL CREST GARDEN GOLF


This is the original Cool Crest Garden Golf as it appeared in 1948
It is still located at 1400 North Belt Highway
This is one the very best miniature golf courses in the USA
Built in the 1940's by Jan & Guy Saxton, it's still going strong
Today, it doesn't look anything like the original, they now have 2 beautiful courses you can play on.
In warm weather, they are very busy every night
Of course, there is no empty land adjacent to it now. This is now one of the busiest intersections in town
The Belt Drive-In Theater is visible in the upper right background.
The Shangri La Motel can be seen in front of the Belt Drive-In
A Ford Dealership and numerous other businesses are now located where the Belt Drive-In & Shangri La Motel were located.

Robert Hall#1) Liberty Sound#2)

ROBERT HALL CLOTHING


Robert Hall Clothing was at 409 N. Belt (Belt & Faraon Sts)
Photo #1, donated by Terry McGinnis, taken in 1968. Jim Summer's father is standing beside the 1964 Chevelle across the Belt Highway in what was then an empty lot. The store changed hands several times before finally being bulldozed down.
Photo #2, Robert Halls was replaced with Liberty Sound Video Store. Liberty Sound was replaced with another video store



Frog Hop#1 Frog Hop#2 Frog Hop#3

FROG HOP BALLROOM

#1 photo: The original Frog Hop Ballroom was located on the southwest corner of South Belt Highway and Pickett Road.
#2 photo: The Frog Hop was rebuilt at 2402 North Belt Highway, this is how it looked in 1958
#3 photo: The building currently houses Eckard's Carpet store

The Frog Hop Ballroom that was once located in this building at 2402 No. Belt Hwy. and can now be contacted at: 
Frog Hop Ballroom, P.O. Box 6251, Saint Joseph, MO 64505-0251

Photo #3 donated by Terry McGinnis 03/2008

Belt MotelTravel Lodge Motel Budget Motor Inn

BELT MOTEL
TRAVEL LODGE
BUDGET MOTOR INN

Photo 1: Originally, this was the Belt Motel
Photo 2: The motel was changed to Travel Lodge
Photo 3: 2006 photo - Currently named Budget Motor Inn
The building is located on the west side of the Belt Highway at top of the hill north of Frederick Avenue.
Budget Motor Inn can be seen on the far side of the Burger King sign. Note that the water tank is also different.

 

Pony Express Motel Pony Express Motel Pony Express Motel

PONY EXPRESS MOTEL


Once a Best Western motel, this motel was destroyed, torn down, in Oct/Nov 2006 to make room for an upcoming strip mall/shopping center
It was located directly across from where Burger King now stands.
The Pony Express Restaurant & Lounge is the furthest building up the hill. We stopped there for drinks on our wedding night, Sept 23, 1966



Hardees

Our 1st HARDEE'S


This prime Belt Highway location once housed our 1st Hardee's
Located on the NE corner of Belt & Frederick Ave.
It has been sitting empty now for many years

Buchanan Weather Station

WEATHER BUREAU


This structure once housed the US Weather Bureau and was located somewhere on the Belt Highway
If anyone remembers where it was, please let me know
Photo donated by John Fulmer

Flinchpaughs

Flinchpaugh's Zoo & Animal Farm


Flinchpaugh's was located at 3727 Frederick
The owners were Jon and Marjorie Flinchpaugh
Flinchpaugh's Zoo and Animal Farm. What an attraction for children and adults. In the days after WWII, it was located at the northeast corner of the Belt Highway and Frederick Boulevard. It was razed sometime during the early 1960's. Alligators, monkeys, birds, and various other animals populated the building.
(Photo compliments of Larry Flinchpaugh)

Y BBQ & Motel Y BBQ & Motel

Y BBQ & Motel


3510 North 71 Highway (North Belt Highway)
The "Y" BBQ & Roadhouse sat on the town's outskirts, currently on the west side of the North 169 and 71 Highway junction. 

(This is currently one of the busiest intersections in the city)
The restaurant housed several slot machines and had 10 cabins in back, which were called, tourist courts. Many of the cabins are still standing today and are occupied by small businesses. On the south side, a filling station used to stand. The building burned down in 1939 or 1940.
Across the highway, where the Mo Highway Patrol now stands, was the Thames Stadium, ball field and race track. On the northeast corner, where St Joseph Tobacco now stands, was the Ogden Restaurant.


Swiss Lodge

SWISS LODGE or 

SWISS CHALET


This building, located at 3101 North Belt Highway, housed 2 businesses during it's lifespan.  
Originally called the Swiss Lodge was also known as the Swiss Chalet. It was located on the east side of North Belt Highway. It was a great place for parties, picnics, meetings, etc.
It was sold & remodeled to become the Monterey Mexican Restaurant. The restaurant didn't remain in business very long. It was torn down & other structures have now taken it's place. A strip mall and a Phillips 66 gas station is now where the Swiss Chalet once sat.

Belt & Pickett

Les' Royal Restaurant


Les' Royal Restaurant at 2701 S. Belt, the owner was M. Leslie Ellis
Les's Royal used to be where the bank is now located, southeast corner of Belt Highway & Pickett Road. Does anyone have any photos or information about Les's? It was one of the neatest restaurants and had some of the best dining in town. Their French Onion soup was scrumptious. As I remember, the decor was set Mediterranean style.



Roberts Nursery

Roberts Nursery


This is a picture of the nursery, owned and run by Glen D. and Mildred Roberts. Located at 3643 Pear. Seven Up Bottling Co. currently is located here. The area where all the trees are planted is the present home of UPCO's Animal Supply. Up to date photos will be added soon.



Implement Co. Farmers Equipment

Farmers Equipment


This is a picture of Implement Co. Farmers Equipment, located just north of the Leo Robert's station. This was bulldozed down and now is the present home of the South Belt Taco Bell. Up to date photos will be added soon.



Roberts Gas Station

Leo Roberts
Gas Station


Hey! Great gas prices!! Built in 1950 by Dara Griffin's grandfather, Leo Roberts, this gas station was located on the Northwest corner of South Belt Highway (Then Hwy 71) and Pear Street. Now is the present home of Car City Chrysler Rental. The block building located in the background was torn down and the grounds leveled out and is now the present home of South Belt Taco Bell. The house sitting up on the upper left hand corner, was moved off its foundation and relocated on 29th street south of Mitchell Ave.




Shakey's Pizza


Where Toyota is currently, used to be Dapper Dan's Pizza. It was something before Dapper Dan's - Any one know?? To the right (south) was Sambo's restaurant. Very good eating. Another big name restaurant came in later. Unknown name??? Then came the Great Wall Chinese restaurant. Currently some type of loan/check cashing business is occupying this building



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